Lolita
by gracefulmiracle
Summary: Trying to escape the burden of a broken heart Kaiba returns to a place from long ago, Yami a boy that he has not seen for six years reappears in his life. A new love will bloom. Oh ! lolita lolita! Little I knew you would trap me with your love, sinful, forbidden but only ours.
1. Chapter 1

He was trying to scape. For the first time in his life, he was trying to scape by pretending to move on. He pretended to be someone who could never be broken but there he was in his black car trying to go back to a place he had left behind.

Long ago this place used to be one place he remembered liking. He had met a family that made his stay a little better. Long days of work would be rewarded by his adoptive father's disappearance and his liberty. He remembered the laughter of this entire family. A man that was honorable, a caring mother and a genius little boy that asked too many questions. These images were rcorded in his mind like an old portrait but most of all he remembered those crimson eyes. Those huge crimson eyes that would stare at him without faltering, without fearing. He wondered what had happened to that obnoxiously fearless kid that would meet his glare without flinching. He wondered if the kid would still meet his gaze without wavering. He smirked. He was more intimidating than before that was for sure.

He closed his eyes and a memory came back.

_The rain was falling and he groaned. He had to go back to the mansion but he didn't feel like getting wet but there was no other choice. He had forgotten his umbrella and he didn't want to bother rain was cold. He could feel the water penetrate his clothes. Suddenly, he heard small footsteps from behind. He turned and saw the little boy coming up to him. Those crimson eyes looked at him. The boy was holding two umbrellas. He wasn't using one of them and without saying anything the boy extended his hand and silently offered the older man the object. _

_He took it and nodded to thank the small gesture. The boy's smile was bright when he saw the gesture of gratitude. He turned around but stopped when he heard the boy's voice calling out to him. _

_'' Please be careful on your way back and please take a hot shower! My mom says you will get a cold if you don't do it! Take care Seto-san!'' _

_He didn't turn around but smiled and shook his head. _

_'' Thank your mother. Good night, Yami'' _

_'' Good night, Seto-san! Please, come back tomorrow!''_

_''_Seto-sama, Seto-sama'' , he opened his eyes and grunted.

'' We have arrived.''

The brunet looked out the window and saw the familiar sign with the town's name. Intrigued to see if there had been any changes in his abscence, he looked outside the window. The town seemed to be frozen in time. Somehow knowing this made him feel at ease, after so many changes during the six years he had been gone, having something that had not changed during the years was rather comforting.

The sunlight caressed his body. A slender body walked with elegance. Kaiba felt curious about this figure that was covered by an umbrella's shadow. The person was dressed in a particular way. He would dare say a cosplayer. He was sure he had seen this type of fashion before, Lolita, that was the name.

Oh! Lolita, lolita.

Delicate sugar plum lips.

You subjugate me with your sinful seduction.

Lolita, little I knew, I would sin just to have you.

Lolita, innocent, sweet creature.

What have you done to me?

Crimson-eyes met his as the limousine passed by. A rather attractive and almost angelical face looked around.

Little he knew that Lolita would trap him.

* * *

_I'm sorry but I couldn't help myself i know a bumch of people out there are waiting for me to finish my fics but this idea just wasn't leaving me alone and i just had to. _

_A promise though is that the next update will be my christmas fic that is for sure since i'm almost done with two chapters. _


	2. Moonlight Angel

To say that he was suprised would be an understatement. He had barely remembered this place, it was an amazing country side mansion but not as big or as opulent as their principal residence in the city. It didn't have as much space. Despite the years of careless oblivion, the place was in great condition. This residence, he had imagine it would need a lot of work and reparations. Astounded, he tried to figure out who would have keep it in his abscence. He entered the place, everything was well kept but there were many modifications. They all seemed very familiar for some reason. A long forgotten memory stroke him as he entered the kitchen. The smell of cinnamon, of vanilla and bread, delighting and familiar. This kitchen though was the only thing that was completely out of place. It looked like a replica from the one that the Mutou family had at their home. He remembered when Yami's mother would call him from the kitchen while she was baking pies to make him help her with it. It had annoyed him at first but the atmosphere would remind him of those days when he was still a child and his mother would cook, of her holding his hand to try and teach him how to cut an apple or how to smash some potatoes for dinner. The brunet remembered Yami trying to not laugh at him and his clumsy hands. The little boy had loved his mother dearly and spent most of his free days by her side either helping her or making her teach him whatever she knew. He suspected it was just because the kid would get rewarded with several kisses and hugs whenever he succeeded at something. It had been humiliating to say the least, specially when the kid started teaching him. The only reason why he had bit down his reactions was the smile that kid would give him whenever he taught him something and because he reminded him so much of his own little brother.

Those summers he had spent with the family had helped him through the nightmare he was living in the mansion. The apparent vacations were just some sort of punishment or maybe just a way to brake him. Gozaburo would keep close attention on him and his studies but the worst part was that they would always leave Mokuba back at Domino. According to the bastard he had need some alone time away from outside _distractions. He had been desperate. He could_n't contact his brother or know any type of information without damaging him or himself. It had been a nightmare indeed until that faithful day when he had met the little boy that would bring some light and warmth to his life.

It had been a rainy day. He was suffering a punishment and wasn't allowed to get into the mansion. He was condemned to spend several hours if not the entire night outside. Gozaburo had been furious, he had told him that he was a mediocre worthless trash and that mediocres didn't have a place but the streets, afterwards he was thrown into the streets. He had felt desperate but his pride didn't let him seek help and he knew deep down that if he decided to say something the consequences would be worse. At the time, he had being thirteen.

Seto's desperation transformed into anguish when he felt the first drops of the unforgivable cold rain on his head and shoulders. He saught out a place where to rest while the rain was still pouring but there was no place that could be used as a temporary shelter, so he stood under a tree hoping that the storm wouldn't be accompanied of thunders and lightning. He was trapped in a precarious situation. The child sat down and looked around, there was nothing but trees. The soothing sound of the rain made him fall asleep...he was so tired...so tired. In the distance he heard small steps, for a moment he thought he had been dreaming … a small hand shook his shoulder and he smiled... Seto was happy that his brother had come searching for him, that there was someone that wanted him back. He called his brother and opened his eyes, he expected to see grey eyes and yet deep crimson eyes were staring at him with concern. He backed up startled, he blinked fastly and saw a little boy with an umbrella. Seto couldn't help but stare at the creature in front of him, he had never seen a person with deep crimson eyes or with such a rebellious hair.

'' Are you okay?'', the boy asked.

He just could roll his eyes at the question, he was wet and alone in the woods. He wasn't okay but he couldn't say the truth to this kid anyways. He arched an eyebrow when he saw the boy blush when he realized how absurd he must have sounded to the other boy but when their eyes collided for the first time. They stared openly at each other, the little boy blushed harder.

'' Come with me. You are lost right? My mom will help you, I'm sure'', he stuttered nervously.

Seto looked at the boy. This was too good to be true. He didn't know if he should take the offer or not but in his situation he couldn't say he had many options. He was cold and hungry, in that moment his stomach seemed to remember he hadn't eat and growled. Ashamed the brunet looked away.

The kid took his hand suddenly and placed a small bread on his hand. Startled by the sudden contact he almost dropped the bread, he looked up at the little boy but he received a shy smile and a small gesture with his head that tried to encourage him to eat what was offered.

'' Please eat. I jut bought it, it is still warm.''

Seto looked at him and wearily rolled up the paper bag so he could look inside. It looked good. He looked back at the crimson-eyed boy who was observing him. Misunderstanding, the smaller child took out another bread similar to the one shared and took a huge bite as if trying to convince the blue-eyed boy that there was nothing to fear. Seto looked at the bread and shrugged to himself, he took a first bite. It was good, really tasty, without noticing he made a sound of satisfaction. He was so hungry that he ate it fastly, when he was done he accidentally glanced back at the his companion and saw a huge smile directed at him. He blushed, the spiky haired boy's smile was bright and warm, it made him feel self-conscious. The brunet looked away and the boy took the opportunity to make him an offer.

''It's going to get dark soon, you are wet and it is going to get colder. Please come with me.'', the boy pleaded.

Even now when he thought about it, it had almost felt like he had being hypnotized. The brunet just nodded. The kid smiled at him.

'' Come fast!'', the smaller boy took his hand and started to guide him, he glanced back at his older companion and said, '' by the way my name is Yami''

''Seto'', was the only thing he answered.

Yami smiled at him. Soon looked up the clouds, they were slowly disappearing and the moonlight had fall upon the creature that was offering him a shelter...somehow it had felt as a miracle and somehow Yami had looked like an angel that had magically appeared to help him. Despite this thoughts, there was something inside of him that warned him that even the most beautiful promises could be the beginning of a curse, so he tried to not expect too much...

Yet under the moonlight of that cold night, he had felt that Yami might have been more than he had deserved... later he would realize just how much he would owe that little boy with the mesmerizing crimson eyes.

Lolita , lolita so sweet,

lolita, lolita so innocent

little angel, my salvation

lolita, lolita you have got me trapped.


	3. Waiting Angel

His heart started beating fast. It was full of joy and wary hope. He wanted it to be true. He wanted it to be real. He wanted to see _him. _He wanted it to be Seto who had chose to return after a six year abscence. It was a pity that he couldn't run with his new outfit. It was annoying but it'd be a pity to ruin the outfit that his aunt have sent him.

He swore that the woman was strangely excited about all of this situation and she kept saying, she was his number one fan. He deeply suspected that the woman just felt disappointed she didn't have a niece and was just taking advantage that the entire school had decided to make him the school's representative. Sometimes, he wished that they weren't so ridiculous and pushy. They had even made him Heaven's Stairs' Idol.

The soft breeze of this summer day reminded him of long days under the sun, family field trips and after that special encounter, a young boy with deep blue eyes that his parents had somehow adopted into their family. So he started singing to the memory of his mother and the sweet memories of those long gone innocent days he had shared with Seto. He'd have to go to the grocery store to buy some ingredients, he would either have buy them to celebrate their reunion or to console his broken hopes pretending that he had come back and that he would come later that night... even if later might be never.

The slender figure let his umbrella roll on his hands creating a delicate and charming effect. The red creating a sweet contrasting effect against the young green flora. The delicate fabrics of his dress were softly waving with the soft breeze that caressed the delicate body.

A lonely voice was heard on the road filled with melancholy and way hopes.

Classic little muse,

Lolita,

classic flutter of my heart.

Your presence sweet mirage,

sweet magical illusion.

Your love whispers into my heart,

sweet promises, forgotten memories

and blissful oaths of eternal youth.

Dear mine, dear lolita,

My dear Lolita.


	4. Surprised sweet loli

Kaiba decided to inspect the entire residence . He remembered that entrusted the place to Yami and his family after he decided to return to Domino, once his plan to take over Kaiba corp was ready he had left. He never imagined though, that Yami would take this commitment so seriously. He headed to the second floor to make an assesment himself of the state upstairs. Despite the difficulty of maintaining such a big place, he could see that they had done a wonderful work. He'd need to thank them later for their efforts. The brunet wondered if Yami had taken the liberty of choosing a room. He remembered how excited he had seem after he had chose to show him the mansion for the first time. Almost instantly another memory replaced, he remembered how devastated Yami had looked when he had informed that he was leaving for a long time...

_'' How long?'', the young boy asked._

_'' As long as needed'', he answered._

_Yami understood, Seto had no idea how long._

_'' I don't want you to go'', the boy exclaimed as tears began to run down his cheeks. _

_Kaiba sighed. He knew the boy loved him deeply and considered him a part of his family, he owed them a lot. He really couldn't stan the sight of the boy crying so he kneeled down and took the boys in his arms. He embraced him softly. Yami clinged to him desperately as if he did let go in that moment Seto would disappear. The older man could feel as the tears slipped through his shirt._

_'' I will come back'',he murmured. _

_'' You promise?'', Yami asked as he moved to look up directly unto the brunet's blue eyes._

_'' Yes, once I finish what I need to do in Domino city, I will come back but I can't give you an exact date'', Kaiba stated honestly._

_''Please come back soon.'',Yami pleaded. _

_'' As soon as I can'', Kaiba reassured him._

_'' I will miss you!'', his small hands clenched the brunet's shirt a little tighter as new tears were forming. _

_'' I'd be disappointed if you didn't'', Kaiba said as he smiled lightly. _

_Yami hugged him again. He didn't wantt obe parted from Seto but he understood... so he just did what his mother always did cheer on the ones she loved even if she wasn't there. _

_''Good luck'', the boy said finally. He had to be brave. Seto had promised him and as far as he had known him, the brunet always kept his promises. _

_'' Good luck? Do you think I need luck? Didn't you say I was the invincible Kaiba-man?'', Kaiba teased the little boy. He hated the nickname with a passion but he knew the memory would make the boy cheer up a bit. _

_Yami chuckled and hugged him once more, a little bit tighter that before,'' It's true nobody can ever defeat the Kaiba-man. You are invincible!'' _

_'' That's better.''_

_'' I love you Seto-san. Please come back soon.'', the boy said before cupping Seto's face in his small hands and planting a small innocent kiss on his lips. Seto allowed the action and then took the boys in his arms and carried him to his room. He knew he was spoiling him a lot but it was this kid's company and love that had helped him when his step father had cursed him with the abscence of his brother. He felt better when he had someone to take care of , when someone depended on him. Luckily, there was no one at the mansion that night, at least no one who would betray this little secret that he held. _

_When they settled down on the bed, he hugged the boy closed to his body. Yami's warmth reminded him of home, it reminded him of Mokuba... it was gentle, it was soothing... he knew that he would always owe this boy more than the kid would ever understand. _

Seto entered his ancient room. It seemed this room had been lovingly taken for. He smiled. _This kid,_he thought. Everything that decorated the bedroom was personalized in way that was clear that the other had taken great detail in what he would liked to have inside it. The color palette was a combination of light blue, white and navy blue.

The furniture was simple and modern but what was the most astounding was a particular painting hanging on the opposite wall of the bed. It was a Blue-Eyes White Dragon painting. It was based on the latest redesign of his ace card. It was impressive how the artist captured the beauty of his dragon. The moon was behind the dragon as he rested on top of a huge tower the stars creating a surreal effect on the background. He was impressed, he quickly inspected it and decided to leave.

Next, Kaiba entered the room that collided with his. After he opened the door, he was suddenly overwhelmed with what he saw. The entire place was buried with Kaiba corp's propaganda that featured him. There were several posters of him as the Duel king scattered on the walls. He had known the kid did admire him but he never realized how deep ran his devotion .

The business man ventured farther inside, his eyes stumbled upon a small nightstand, on top of it was resting a duel monster's deck. Unable to contain his curiosity he picked up the first card...The dark magician. If he remembered correctly this was Yami's favorite card. Despite himself a sense of nostalgia washed over him, he wondered how much had the kid changed over the years. Making a fast estimation Yami should be sixteen years old by now. He suddenly felt old, it was the same sensation he got sometimes when he looked at his brother who was now eighteen years old. It was hard to watch him grow up but at the same time he felt accomplished because despite everything he had achieved his greatest desire, now Mokuba was independant young adult and he was capable of taking his own destiny in his hands. He was proud of that. His train of thoughs was interrupted by a sudden conmotion that seemed to come from the dining room. Cautiously, he descended the stairs. He took out his gun.

**II**

Yami excitedly fantasized on how their meeting would go. He felt nervous, anxious and hopeful. His body had changed, his life had changed, _he _had changed. He hoped Seto would accept him and that even after so long the brunet would recognize him.

He was ecstatic, after all he had lost, he might be getting someone back. At the thought, he speeded up until he saw the mansion coming into view. He noticed a huge limousine parking on the front.

_'' It is him! It must be! Who else would have a limousine?'',_he thought to himself. He ran up to the front door but stopped before reaching it so he could breath deeply and calm himself. Once his punding heart had calmed itself, he decided to finally open the door. When he entered the house he froze, there standing in front of him was a man he didn't know.

Isono could just watch with curiosity at the young girl standing in front of him. He didn't recognize the lady and he had no idea how she managed to open the front door. He was sure he had closed it after they had entered. He coughed a little and decided to speak first.

''You are not allowed in here. You are trespassing private property.'', he said calmly, he could sense that the other was nervous.

'' I know! It's you who are trespassing! How did you enter? Who are you?'', Yami said acussingly. He was freaking out. Who was this man?

'' I am under no obligation to answer that. I will have to ask you to get out'', Isono answered with a neutral tone.

'' NO! I'm not going anywhere this place was entrusted to me!'', Yami finally rose his voice. The older man moved closer to him.

Big mistake.

**III**

Seto feared that Isono had been attacked. The brunet gripped his gun a little tighter and descended the stairs. He inspected the front door. It didn't seem like someone had forced their way in. Could it be that Isono had opened the door willingly? That seemed farfetched, his bodyguard wouldn't be so naive. He heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Slowly, the blue-eyed man approached the place. He entered cautiously. He heard someone's muffled voice coming from behind the dinning table. Kaiba approached carefully just to find his bodyguard on the ground completely immobalized and tied. This was ridiculous! How? He inspected the place, no one around. He better untie him. He rolled his eyes and placed the gun on the floor. Isono looked up at him and his eyes narrowed and he struggled to warn his boss.

'' Leave it on the ground. I know you have a gun.'' , a cold voice said behind him. The person behind him placed a heavy blade on his shoulder. It moved until it reached his neck where it was left unmoving, '' And as you may see I'm also armed.''

'' This is private property.'', the brunet said, refusing to acknowledge the threat.

'' Get up and raise your arms.'', Yami ordered, he took away the blade and placed it on the other's back letting him know he could still be harmed, '' I was left in charge of this place by the owner, which means you and your friend there are trespassing.''

Kaiba's eyes narrowed in recognition, could it be that it was Yami? He sounded so different yet so young... it had to be him. This boy was more aggressive than he remembered though, would he dare say more couragous? He rose slowly, he still felt the blade against his back. He needed to distract the teen.

'' You know , you have changed a lot since the last time I saw you... Yami'', he said as he emphasized the teen's name.

Yami narrowed his eyes, could it be? He hesitated and moved away the blade a couple of inches.

Seto felt the hesitation and took this as his cue to attack the younger man. He needed to disarm him. Swiftly, he let his body fall and spinned around to kick Yami of his feet but he wasn't fast enough. Yami moved away but made the mistake of jumping on top of a chair. His body was left unbalanced, the brunet took the opportunity to hit the teen's wrist and make the sword fall from his hand. Yami retreated farther away unto the table. He was trying to evade the physical contact. This time the blue-eyed man moved at a higher speed and managed to use his arm to hit Yami's legs with enough strengh to make him fall from the table and right into his arms.

Once secured in his hold, the older man looked at the person in his arms. His eyes narrowed in surprise, with the adrenaline running through his veins the brunet hadn't notice the outfit that Yami had been wearing. The brunet could barely recognize him and he felt his brain short circuit for a moment. The teen looked at him with those big crimson eyes. It was him indeed, Kaiba had never known any other person with the same color as Yami's eyes. He heard the teen gasp.

'' You are back'', Yami whispered, a trembling hand reached out to cup the side of Seto's face. Before the brunet could react, he felt as sweet, soft lips were pressed against his in an innocent kiss.

He was back.

He was truly there.

After so long, Seto came back.


	5. Angelic lolita kiss

There was a sweet scent in the air surrounding them both. The lips pressing against his were soft and velvety. They were tainted with a bittersweet touch. Those lips were so tragic and so desperate, they almost burned him. Slowly and with a certain fragility that hurt Seto, Yami broke the kiss. The brunet could feel how the teen trembled in his arms with contained wrapped his arms around the brunet's neck and hid his face between the space between his neck and shoulder. Kaiba understood this gesture all too well. Yami did it often when he was upset or wanted comfort. He held him a little tighter and let out a sigh. He was very confused that was for sure. He knew the kid he was holding was Yami, yet his appearance was so different. Why on earth was the boy dressed up as a girl? Was it meant to be some sort of cosplay? It was strange.

'' You know even if you like to be held, I have to say you are quite heavy'', the brunet said with an exasperated yet amused tone. He tried to joke so the tension would leave the creature in his arms.

Wrong move.

Yami just held him tighter. He didn't want to let go, not yet. He was afraid Seto would disappear as he had done countless times in his dreams. He really wanted it to be real, that the older man was there; that he had at least someone returning to his life... that he'd never leave.

Kaiba sighed and tried something else, '' I didn't know you liked playing princess so much.. it seems that you have acquired weird habits while I was gone aside from the some bad habits you still kept'', he said jokingly refering to the shared kiss.

Yami's eyes widened as he remembered the outrageous outfit he was let go immediately. He looked down and realized with certain shame that his first encounter with Seto had been while he was wearing one of the many idol costumes that he was forced to wear. He struggled a bit before the brunet put him on the ground once more.

'' Well I..I have … I can explain!'', Yami looked around nervously and he looked up to those blue eyes and he blushed. The young man hid his face behind his hands.

'' I will go change! You , you must be... uhm ..hungry? Right? I will make dinner after I'm done ye..yeah? Yes! Excuse me!'' Yami stuttered nervously and he ran up the stairs. How humiliating! Great first impression Yami! Yami thought to himself once he was in his bedroom but despite the incident, he couldn't help but smile a little.

He walked up to his closet and opened it. He took out a white shirt and cotton shorts. He needed to be comfortable if he was going to cook and it was kind of warm outside so it'd get hot inside the kitchen. He'd need to open the windows. He'd show Seto how he much he had improved his cooking skills. He was going to be amazed! Yami was going to make sure of it!

The teen could barely contain his excitement.

He was back!

Seto was back!

_II_

Seto just looked at the disappearing form of the teen as he ran upstairs. He ran his right hand through his hair. There were no words to describe such an awkward first encounter. He heard some muffled sounds and he realized that he had forgotten that Isono was still on the floor. He groaned annoyed. The brunet walked up to him and helped him so the bodyguard could sit down. Once he was free the bodyguard felt a huge relief.

'' You need to explain how did he manage to capture you, your training should provide you nough experience to not fall into the trap of a simple teenager'', Kaiba said with a serious tone as he looked directly at his bodyguard.

The poor man felt cold sweat ran down his back. He swallowed hard and started to explain. Kaiba could just listen with an irritated expression at the ridiculous the story. It seemed Yami was more agile than he had thought. The teen had avoided every move that the older man made. Yami had tricked the older man into thinking he had being cornered. He had maneuvered the man until he was positioned where the teen crimson-eyed ma had managed to knock Isono down by pushing him against the kitchen's counter. The vibration caused a heavy plant pot to fall on his head. The impact made him lose consciousness. The next thing the poor man knew is that he was already tied up on the floor. Yami seemed to want to question him but the noise of footsteps on the second floor alerted him of another intruder. He hid himself in order to surprise whoever had the bad idea to enter the mansion. When Isono was done, Kaiba didn't know wether to laugh or be angry at the whole situation.

''This is just so...'', the brunet growled trying the word that could explain this whole situation.

'' Unusual?'', Isono offered.

Kaiba looked at him and shrugged. He guess they could call it that.

''Just make sure we don't have more surprises. Understood?'', he snapped. Isono left the kitchen as fast as he could after nodding affirmatively. Once, he was gone the brunet took a chair and let himsef fall on it with a tired sigh. He decided that he could work in the mean time while Yami was changing his clothes. It'd help him calm down and concentrate. He guessed there would be a long catcht up to do. He wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it.

If lolita only knew,

How much of a curse,

How much of a blessing

it was when the natural charm touched the scenery.

Oh! lolita, lolita!

The beginning of the end.

The endless doors of tomorrow,

Yet I'm tied to your existence,

Doomed to love you

Since our first encounter.

Lolita, lolita

Sweet path to madness,

Embrace me with your being.

Sweet angel.

* * *

Author's note: yugioh is not mine. neither Yami or seto kaiba and just i case neither any other title or character called lolita.

i hope you enjoy it and that u might feel generous as to review.

i've had a terrible time but i decided to post this as a celebration that i'm getting better. i guess idont know if ill be able to update any of my stories after this chapter though


	6. Lolita cactus

As if it wasn't enough, Kaiba couldn't help but watch Yami intently. True, the boy had changed and was wearing something a little bit more unisex but somehow he still looked quite feminine. His skin glowed with a certain charm. It was obvious that he took great care of it. It looked soft and plump. He had never seen or at least he has never actively sought for this kind of detail before in a teen or a male. It was very remarkable. His entire figure was lean. His movements have acquired an elegance he certainly lacked before. Even the tone of his voice had changed as if what he was wearing kind of dictated certain actions. It was so bizarre.

The boy kept asking him simple questions about what he liked or didn't in his food. He started humming happily as he prepared their dinner. He looked quite excited. Kaiba, though didn't know whether to ask or not about why he had been wearing such an outfit.

Kaiba stood up so he could grab a glass of water. He walked towards the refrigerator and used the filter. It was right next to the cooking boy and he noticed his hands. They looked soft, small and manicured. He frowned again. He leaned against the counter. Everything that was happening felt surreal.

Yami was methodically cooking everything. Luckily, he had prepared some wagashi that he planned to serve with some home grown tea. Since the mansion's garden was so immense, it gave him the opportunity to grow his own food, spices, medical plants, etc. He then remembered that he could use some fresh spices from the garden. He walked out of the kitchen. Kaiba was confused when he saw the teenager suddenly go out the kitchen towards the back door at the end of the opposite hall that led to the garden. He was almost tempted to follow him out of curiosity but he decided not to act on the impulse; since he was sure the other would come back soon, the kitchen was still on after all. He verified the whole set of food before he sat down once more. The brunet watched curiously as the boy came back, he had a handful of different plants in his arm. The younger man looked at his companion and smiled. Kaiba just made brief eye contact before resuming his work.

It probably was impolite to keep working on the kitchen's table but Yami didn't seem to mind. Yami himself was more excited about pleasing his guest than anything else. He was not paying attention to the fact that the older man was working. He was practically ignoring him for the time being. The crimson-eyed teen loved cooking but he had never been able to handle people watching him so closely while he did it, it got especially bad after he started living with his aunt. He had taken over the task by himself and that gave his aunt more time to concentrate on her work. Yami looked at Kaiba and noticed how focused he was with his own tasks, he smiled to himself, his aunt and his friend were so similar sometimes.

When the meal was ready, he prepared the dishes. He gave them a quite elegant presentation. The teen walked up to the brunet and stood in front of him.

"It's done", he informed his friend. When the other looked at him, he smiled at the brunet. Kaiba rolled his eyes. He knew what the other wanted. He would just humour the other for the time being. The taller man rose and went to put away his laptop. Next, he went to the bathroom to wash his hands before returning to the dining table.

Yami placed the dishes on the table. First the rice, then the salad, a little bit of miso soup and at last the high quality beef meat he had bought for the occasion. He knew his older friend enjoyed beef meat a lot. He liked it too but he wasn't as passionate as Seto used to be. He hoped that he still liked it as much as before and that he would find both the meat and his cooking skills acceptable. Once he had also settled his meal on the table, he sat down. He waited for the brunet to come back so they could start eating together.

Kaiba walked towards the table. He noticed that the dishes had been placed on it. Once he was nearer he could finally appreciate the effort that Yami had put on the presentation. He was surprised, for a homemade meal this one possessed the exquisite display.

Yami noticed the judging gaze the meal he had prepared was receiving. His hands fidgeted nervously under the table. Kaiba hadn't look at him as he sat in front of him. He watched carefully as the brunet took a first bite of the beef. It was nerve shattering. Seto had always had high standards he knew that, he was the perfect judge. Deep down, he had wanted to surprise the other in a good way, he wanted to please him. The brunet swallowed and took another bite but this time he mixed it with the rice. The teen couldn't read anything on his stoic face, no sign of disgust and no sign of pleasure either. It was completely blank.

Without realizing it, the brunet had made the teen anxious. He was concentrated on the food. He understood that the other wanted his opinion. He tasted the meat, the spices were well balanced. The texture was ideal and the cooking was in point. He took another bite and added rice to see how did the flavor of the rice plus the meat combined. He looked up and noticed the teen looking at him intently.

"You have improved", the brunet commented so he could answer the silent question.

Yami's eyes shone brighter at the compliment and he looked at his food. He smiled softly. The brunet could swear that a soft brush of pink bloomed on those terse cheeks. Yami who at first dedicated the attention to his meal, rapidly grew tired of it and decided to pay attention to his companion. He wanted to talk. He wanted to know everything but he knew that with Seto Kaiba everything was an exchange and in such a special night where they were reunited for the first time, he didn't want the other to ask questions, especially about his family. No, not yet. He wanted to pretend, at least for tonight, that everything was fine, that nothing had changed in such a long time.

After long years of business practice, Kaiba understood the strange silence that had come over them. He supposed that after his absence, finding a topic to talk about must have been difficult. He enjoyed the silence. He liked it but he sensed his companion wanted to say something. It was annoying. Had it been someone else, he wouldn't have cared at all. The problem was that he owed no one anything at all except for this kid and his family.

"It seems you had acquired certain skills I didn't know about. If I remember correctly you killed several plants before but now it seems that you are capable to keep something alive", the brunet said in a teasing tone.

Yami blushed at that in both anger and embarrassment. He knew that he had been especially bad with gardening when he was young but it had changed so he hoped that the other wouldn't dare remind him of-

"I mean, if I remember correctly you managed to kill a cactus once", Kaiba continued with a smirk.

"First of all, that was one time! Secondly, I improved a lot in that area too! Almost everything you have eaten today came from the mansion's garden which I have been taking care of by myself!" Yami replied hastily to the taunting. He took a bite of his meat to distract himself.

"Oh, really?" he asked.

Yami smiled proudly and nodded.

"The garden is perfect. It has enough space, the sun light it receives is beneficial to the plants and the soil is amazingly rich"

"You have made your research", the brunet commented.

"I always loved the flavors of fresh spices and vegetables", Yami commented.

"I believe that, that habit is something your mother must be proud you retained", the brunet continued as he took a small bite off his salad.

Yami tensed at the mention of his mother. The teen looked at his plate and a sad smile appeared on his face. The brunet noticed it. He had noticed as well that the other had not mention his parents once, the reaction itself warned him that something was wrong. He suspected that Yami wouldn't want to talk about it if he had not mentioned them. He frowned.

"Ahh", Yami answered quietly, "You know I made some wagashi and I think it is a beautiful night, the weather is mild and warm. Would you like to go outside and drink the tea on the garden's terrace?

The change of topic had not been as subtle as he suspected Yami thought it was. Instead of answering, he shrugged. It didn't matter where they were, tea was tea. The silence fell once more. Yami seemed lost in thought. He seemed to be quite melancholic as if a grey memory came to mind after his comment. They were about to finish and the time for the dessert was approaching. The brunet decided to speak up once more so he could at least try to distract the teen.

"Let's hope that you have also improved your technique with those too. I remember an awful experience with that type of dessert as well", the older man taunted once more, trying to lighten up the mood.

Yami blinked at him, he appeared confused for a moment. It took the teen some seconds to realize what was the other referring to. He crossed his arms and pouted. Kaiba closed his eyes and smirked, he redirected his attention back to the younger man. Arrogantly, the older man put one of his elbows on the table and with his other hand he created invisible circles in the air before he jested again.

"I understand it was your first time, but the truth is I never imagined someone would be capable of making them taste like sugar coated clay"

Yami almost chocked at that. Yes, he remembered that too. His mother has taught him how to make them, or rather she had instructed him how to make them but he thought he knew better and decided to make his own recipe. It had been a complete failure and Seto had paid for the mistake.

__I__

_A little boy carried a closed bento in his hands and a backpack. In the interior of the bento he had packed some homemade wagashi, the ones he had made plus some that his mother had prepared. The crimson-eyed boy was so excited. He wanted to share the candies he had made with his dear friend. They would meet that afternoon inside the forest on their favorite spot. He loved going there with Seto. It was their secret place where they could be together without interruptions. _

_Seto looked around. He made sure that no one had followed him. He didn't want anyone else informing Gozaburo of his whereabouts. He couldn't risk Yami's safety or that of his family. He sat down under a tree outside their secret base. They had found by accident a forgotten small tree house. It had been perfect, it was in amazingly good condition despite the years of abandonment but of course, the brunet made sure it was safe first. The base was perfectly hidden by the thick foliage of the old tree. He had made several other exits in case that the need to scape arose without endangering the younger boy. _

_Once he saw the approaching boy, he got up and waited for the other to reach him. He noticed the bento box. Yami had probably done some cooking with his mom. The smaller boy stood in front of him, he was still out of breath. He smiled brightly at the older boy. Seto looked away and crossed his arms. This kid was so insistent that he was special to him. He tensed up once he felt the crimson-eyed boy hug him. It was still weird for him to get this close to anyone aside from Mokuba. He had tried to cut off their relationship but Yami's words always made him falter and those harsh words would never leave his lips. _

"_I missed you so much, Seto!" Yami exclaimed with happiness as he hugged the brunet. After he let go, he showed the brunet the bento box he had in his hand. _

"_Look! I made my mom teach me how to do the wagashi!" he exclaimed happily as he showed the first set of candies to his friend. _

_The taller boy looked inside. The candies the red head was showing him were clumsily put together. They couldn't compare to the ones Yami's mother have given him before. _

"_I also made some tea, so we can share. I knew you liked them, so I made sure we could have some more!" _

_An invisible shiver crossed his spine. The brunet had a bad feeling about it. He guided and helped the smaller boy into their secret base or that's how Yami liked to call their hideout. It was still difficult for such a small boy to climb up. Inside they got comfortable. He sat down next to his older friend and looked expectantly at him. Kaiba sighed at that, this kid was kind of pushy. He grabbed one of his candies. Yami's intent gaze was irritating. He took a first bite. The candy was shaped into a small green flower with a pink tainted interior. The look wasn't so bad but the taste that suddenly attacked his taste buds was absolutely horrifying. It was like eating clay, some type of sugar coated clay. He grimaced at the taste and tried not to choke when he forced himself to swallow it. Yami looked at him confused. Could it be that Seto didn't enjoy his candies? It was true that he hadn't taken the time to taste them himself but he thought that it wasn't necessary. He grabbed one himself and popped it into his mouth. He started chewing immediately and the flavor assaulted his mouth. It was awful! He spit it out immediately. It was so bad! Ugh! He didn't even know how his friend had swallowed it. How embarrassing! He couldn't believe he had forced his friend to it them. _

_Oh man! He had failed so hard! He wondered if Seto would ever dare eat anything he prepared from now on. _

_Kaiba looked at Yami. His reaction was extremely hilarious. At least, he knew now how bad the candies were. He chuckled. Leave it to the crimson eyed boy to almost kill him with badly made wagashi. Yami heard the brunet laugh at him and pouted. _

"_Are you trying to kill me?" Kaiba mocked, "I mean those have to be the worst candies I have ever had in my life! Pass me some tea, I hope that at least it won't taste like muddy water"_

"_I can make tea!"_

"_You believed you could do wagashi. How do I know that it's not the same story with the tea?" _

"_Hmph! You have had it before!" Yami replied indignantly. He took out two cups from his backpack and served them both the tea. It was still warm. They both drank it silently. The red head looked up to the brunet and bit his lip nervously. _

"_You know…" Yami whispered. Seto who had been lost in thought looked down to his younger companion. He seemed troubled. He let him talk._

"_Is this the last time you will have something I cooked?" he asked timidly. His fingers fidgeted a little. _

_Seto noticed the fidgeting. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be the one to test every single thing Yami made but it seemed really important to him. This kid worked so hard to please him. It was stupid and he was a fool but it made him feel kind of…special? Would that be the right way to describe it? He had no idea.__Yami, he was so sincere. He seemed to have formed certain attachment to him._

"_Just try not to kill me. I still have a lot to do", Kaiba answered with a mocking tone. _

_Yami's demeanor changed at that, his smile was bright. He kissed Seto on the cheek. The brunet just rolled his eyes and he let scape an amused snort. _

_II_

It was the first time he had seen the garden. Even in the darkness it was impressive how well kept it was. There was an amazing collection of flowers and other plants on it. He guessed it would look more outstanding during the day under the strong sunlight.

Kaiba was waiting for the crimson-eyed boy outside on the terrace. He sat down on one of the chairs of the patio set that had been placed on the terrace. He remembered it from the time when his step father was still alive. It was made of wood. It was surprising that it was still in good condition. They had been repainted and had new cushions with a different pattern, somehow the previous ownership had been erased by a meticulous hand. It had been personalized by someone else.

The night's fresh air danced calmly against his hair tussling it lightly. It was a pleasant night. Yami had been right about drinking the tea outside. He was waiting for the other to come outside with the tea and the candies. Meanwhile, the brunet was working diligently on his laptop.

Yami walked up to him with a silver stray on his hands. He looked up and noticed the objects the other carried. The tea set was quite elegant. The tea pot was blue with silver decoration and a silver dragon that seemed to fly through the painted silver clouds. The tea cups had the same pattern than the teapot except for the dragon that seemed to have an exclusive spotlight on the biggest unit of the set. The smaller man served the beverage with the exquisite perfection of someone who had been taught the steps of a traditional tea ceremony. The brunet was perplexed. The stance and the grace was remarkable and unmistakable. He wondered how would Yami look like in a more traditional setting. He was so distracted that he noticed the candies just in the moment the smaller man placed his share in front of him. His eyes widened for a second. The handcrafting was exquisite. He couldn't believe how amazingly intricate they were.

"You made these?" he questioned surprised.

Yami furrowed his eyebrows and looked at him oddly, "Yes. I told you earlier didn't I?"

The brunet looked down once more and grabbed the plate on his hand. He looked at the towering candy. It was a transparent sweet that looked crystalline and gave the illusion of being a small diorama that held a fantastical story. What was the most charming thing for him though was the tiny replica of his adored Blue Eyes White dragon. The beautiful beast was resting menacingly on top of a silver tower with a guarding full moon behind it. He had gone as far as to even add some edible gold glitter to make it look as if it had decided to travel under a star lit sky. It was amazing indeed it was a pity he would eat it. He looked down unto the other candies as he placed the plate on the table. They were delicately crafted. They had various shapes. Some were flowers, some were other small dioramas with flowers or fish; some were cute animals like cats a couple of bunnies and a couple of dogs. But maybe it was a little too much.

"Isn't this too much?" the brunet asked as he gestured towards the sweets.

"I didn't know which ones you'd like to try so I took everything and though that I should let you decide which ones you would eat", Yami answered honestly. He looked away from him, clearly embarrassed over his uneasiness. The crimson eyed teen was eager to see what the other would say about the sweets. He had received some compliments on them from his aunt and he trusted her opinion but the brunet was another story. At least, he knew that this time they wouldn't taste like a terrifying abomination.

Kaiba noticed that his companion was so anxious that he didn't dare sit down. He knew what he needed to do. He was quite annoyed at the attitude. Had he been someone else the blue eyed man would have snapped harshly at him for showing such petty weakness. Seto would humour him, after all he could tell all of the effort that the boy had put into pleasing him. He took a green flower and took a first bite. The taste was soft and sweet, he chewed slowly letting the flavor invade his mouth smoothly. It was almost as if this had been made by an entirely different person or maybe they had. He had been away for far too long that Yami had grown in more ways than one. His obvious improvement in many of his hobbies, how he had been dressed…so many changes.

"Is it good?"

The sudden question broke his short reverie.

"It was true. You have improved", Kaiba praised as he took a sip of his tea.

Kaiba didn't see the teen's smile. Satisfied with his friend's answer he decided to sit in front of him but when he was taking out the chair the telephone began to ring. They looked at each other. The burnet frowned. He was not expecting a call and if Mokuba wanted to speak to him he would have called him directly on his personal cellphone.

"Please don't move and continue to enjoy the tea. It might be my aunt. She probably wants to check on me", Yami said softly. Before he could say anything the crimson eyed boy had left him alone on the terrace. He had hurried inside to take the call before the phone stopped ringing.

His aunt, huh? It has been a long time since he had seen her.

Author note:

I wanted to write this scene so badly haaha. I was browsing through tumblr when I discovered the wagashi. They are amazingly beautiful for candies I swear, the handcraft is delightful. I wanted Yami to know all of this peculiar traditions and impress kaiba on other things it will be linked a lil later to whatever yami is doing. XD

Any guesses as to whom will be yami's aunt?

Thank you for reading. I know this fic is particularly slow but is like damn it how can I not include every cute thing I can to yamis skills ?

Now the cactus part was inspired on my own lack of gardening skills and yes I managed to kill one poor cactus san but now is in cactus heaven.

If anyone is interested I'm currently working on the next chapter of The week before Christmas and the third chapter of Adventurous mistake I will post whatever cooperates with me the most.


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